1 An Accident

"Mom, stop! You're going to spill the drink!" I laughed as I tried to fend off my mom's tickle attack.

My dad looked at us from the mirror, smirking. He turned his focus back on the highway, adjusting himself occasionally to get comfortable. "Don't hog all the fun Megan let me have a go," he said.

"No... no more!" I wheezed, unable to breath from the bombardment of tickles all around my body.

"Haha," she gave a boastful laugh as she backed away, "Not so tough now are you?"

I took the opportunity to get a hold of myself and took in deep breaths. I was exhausted. The trip around town was fun, a change of pace from my parents always working. I've never been happier. Right now, we were headed home from the picnic we had in the park in town. When was the last time I ate with my parents, I could not remember. I sat there contented and felt as if nothing could go wrong.

Then all of a sudden, a blur, and my view of the flying landscape from my window changed to a hellish view of the aftermaths of a car accident.

"Dad," I sobbed, "Where's Mom?"

"Don't worry Noah I'm going to get her now," he explained as he put me down on a grass field.

"No don't leave me!" I screamed, not wanting to let go of the warmth of my father, despite the heat emanating from the flaming vehicles.

"Just stay here okay? I'll be back," he reassured me.

I stood there rubbing my eyes. Questions swirled in my head but I could not answer them. I watched as my dad ran towards our car on fire, and went to the passenger seat where my mom sat. I saw him as he successfully found her, a shocked looked on his face that turned into resolve as he pulled her out. She was unconscious. Tears of joy streamed down my face.

"Mom!" I screamed as I run towards them.

I only remember being blown back as I got closer to the vehicle, the heat so intense I cried in pain. As I lost my consciousness, all I could hear was my name being called.

"Noah, Noah!"